


Little Black Cat

by Redhead96



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Bottom Harry Potter, F/M, First Snarry fic, Fred Weasley Lives, M/M, Past Harry Potter/Ginny Weasley, Rating will go up later, Severus Snape Lives, Top Severus Snape, slowburn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-12
Updated: 2020-04-26
Packaged: 2021-03-02 05:20:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,947
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23619649
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Redhead96/pseuds/Redhead96
Summary: The Second Wizarding War is finally over. Harry finally feels like he can have a chance to start his life outside of Voldemort's influence, however first he has to clear the Malfoys and Snape. However, after being hit by a curse while shopping in Diagon Alley, Harry might have a few more problems to deal with then just getting along with the people now living in his house.
Relationships: Harry Potter/Severus Snape, Hermione Granger/Ron Weasley
Comments: 8
Kudos: 91





	1. The Aftermath

**Author's Note:**

> Hi everyone. So this is my first time posting to AO3 and also my first Snarry fic. I'm planning on making this a slowburn. I hope you guys at least find this tolerable. I'm sorry for any spelling and grammar mistakes. Please leave any constructive criticisms and hopefully I can get another chapter up soon. Stay safe everyone!

Harry slumped to the floor as he watched Voldemort dissolve into ash. He had done it. The war was over. The Great Hall was eerily quiet as the last of Voldemort remains disappeared on the wind that blew through the holes in the walls. Then noise exploded forth from the elated side of the Light. The Dark Lord was gone.

Harry could feel hands on his arms as the Weasley twins pulled him from the floor and he was tackled by Hermione, her hair filling his mouth. He could feel her sobbing against his shoulder and Ron’s hand on his back but he could not drag his gaze from where Voldemort had stood. It was over but he still could not get rid of the feeling that there was still more to do.

He slowly let his eyes drift until they came to McGonagall. Her eyes were misty as she smiled at him. She then straighten her back and cleared her throat. Just like a classroom of rowdy school children, the roar of voices and jubilant cries quieted in the Great Hall.

“The war is over,” she stated, “but now comes the time where we must gather our fallen and give them the peace they deserve as well.” McGonagall scanned the crowds in the Great Hall. Heads bowed under her gaze in understanding. “Those who are wounded shall stay here to be healed and those with Healer’s training and basic first aid will stay and help Madame Pomfrey. The rest of us will go gather the wounded and dead.”

Turning to Ron and Hermione, Harry grabbed their wrists. “I need you guys to go retrieve Snape’s body before anyone tries to desecrate it,” Harry murmured. Ron and Hermione looked at him shocked for a moment before nodding.

“We’ll go get him,” they agreed.

Soon everyone was breaking apart into groups and Harry was grateful that no one was paying attention to him anymore. He had never been comfortable with all the attention he had gotten for being Harry Potter the Boy-Who-Lived, he hated to think what would happen when the shock wore off and the masses started flocking around him again. However there were some things that he was willing to use his fame for at the moment. He searched the crowd for Kingsley. He knew that the man would become the defacto Minister while the Wizarding world rebuilt and soon the Aurors would be showing up to arrest those who had been on the Dark side of the war. 

“Kingsley!” Harry yelled when he finally caught sight of him and moved closer so that the man could hear him.

The tall man turned to look at Harry then smiled when he caught sight of him. “Harry!” He said, “What can I do for you?”

“I need your help, Shack” Harry gasped finally after pushing his way to the man. “I know that the Aurors will be here soon and will arrest everyone with the Dark Mark, willing or not. I need to give you information about the Malfoys and Snape before they get wrongfully accused.”

Shacklebolt frowned for a moment and then nodded. “Let us head up to the Headmaster’s office. The anti-Apparition wards are still up around the school, so the Aurors will be coming though that floo. We will meet them there and you can tell Amelia Bones your information.” They both walk quickly from the Great Hall grabbing the Malfoys and McGonagall along the way, heading up the stairs to the seventh floor. The griffin statue hopped out of the way as they approached and ascended the staircase into the Headmaster’s office.

Harry approached the pensieve that he had left out on the desk after viewing Snape’s memories. He stepped behind the desk and pulled his wand out, waving it over the interictally carved corner, causing a hidden compartment to pop out of the corner. It was filled with multiple vials; half were filled with silvery memories, the others were empty. Harry pulled them out, taking one of the empty vials and using it to store Snape’s memories. He did not want to expose Snape’s personal memories to his coworkers and the Aurors. Besides, he knew that Dumbledore had the same memory stored within one of the vials. Everything that would exonerate the Malfoys and Snape were stored in these vials. Harry placed them on the desk as the ten Aurors started emerging from the emerald flames that appeared in the fire place, Amelia Bones following close behind them.

The newly arrived wizards pointed their wands at the Malfoys as soon as they realized that they were also in the room. “Stop!” Harry exclaimed as he moved to stand in front of them. “They were spies for Dumbledore and the Order of the Phoenix!”

A couple of the Aurors scoffed and continued to keep the Malfoys at wandpoint. Madame Bones did not look convinced as she glanced between Shacklebolt, McGonagall and Potter. It was not conceivable that the Malfoys were spies, especially Lucius and Narcissa. They had both been involved in the First Wizarding War as well as this one. They had never been quite about not accepting Muggleborns and magical creatures.

Suddenly everyone jumped as Dumbledore’s portrait spoke up. “The Malfoy family has worked for the Order for many years, Madame Bones. Please take a look at the memories before you condemn them to Azkaban.”

“I want to hear their statements first before I review the evidence,” Madame Bones growled. She doubted that whatever the Malfoys claimed would justify their behavior over the last 19 years.  
Lucius Malfoy narrowed his eyes as Madame Bones glared at him. He wanted to shuffle his feet and look at the ground but while he did not believe in the rhetoric, he was a proud Pureblood and not give anyone the satisfaction of seeing him uncomfortable. Clearing his throat he began, “As you know my father was a loyal follower of the Dark Lord. He was one of his most faithful followers and before my final year at Hogwarts, he threatened me to join the Dark Lord. I vehemently refused, my best friend was a Halfblood and he had shown me that while Muggles should not be trusted with the secret of magic, they had made amazing advancements. He also showed me that Muggleborns bring new blood to the Wizarding World and would help our world thrive if we let them. My father was furious that I had refused him and then proceeded to threaten Narcissa. He said if I did not join the Dark Lord, he would take Narcissa and do unspeakable things to her and then kill her if I did not agree. I could not allow that to happen, so I agreed. I could not let what he described to me happen to Narcissa, I had to protect her.”

Narcissa’s hand gently brushed her husband’s. She remembered that summer. They had gotten engaged at the end of their sixth year and were scheduled to be married after their final year. She remembered the threats that Lucius’s father made, as he had told her what would happen if she did not help convince Lucius to join the Dark Lord.

“I was Marked a week before the term started and when I arrived at Hogwarts, I quickly wrote a short missive to Dumbledore asking to meet. I did not want to fight in the War, especially for a psychotic madman who tortured everyone around him. Dumbledore met with me a week after school had begun. He promised me that he would keep us safe if I decided to flee but that I was in a rare position. I could spy on the Dark Lord and help save many lives if I stayed, I agreed. After the Dark Lord was defeated the first time, Dumbledore came to me and asked me to continue the ruse, he did not believe that the Dark Lord was gone. So, I continued pretending to support the Dark Lord. When the Dark Lord returned, he forced his way into Malfoy Manor and took control of the wards and our finances. He then threatened to kill my wife and son should I not do everything in my power to support his ideals. I continued to feed Dumbledore whatever information I could. Regrettably, the Dark Lord was not satisfied with just my service so he forced Draco to take the Mark as well. He then ordered Draco to murder Dumbledore.”

“Lucius informed me of the order and so I allowed Mr. Malfoy to attempt to take my life. I was already dying from a curse that I had acquired the summer before his and Harry’s sixth year. However, I could not let Mr. Malfoy kill me as I needed to cement Severus place within the Inner Circle,” Dumbledore’s portrait carried on the story. “Severus had also been my spy since the end of his seventh year here at Hogwarts. He overheard part of the prophecy in the Hogshead and I told him to tell Voldemort.” Dumbledore shook his head, “Voldemort had been gaining too much power at the time and I had been hoping that the prophecy would distract him enough for us to get the upper hand. I’m sorry, Harry.”

“I understand, Professor,” Harry looked down at the floor. He had already known everything. Dumbledore had told him before they had headed to the cave that night. He had then told Ron and Hermione as soon as he could. “All of the memories that you need are here, Madame Bones. Please look them over before you act.”

Madame Bones was in a state of shock. She could hardly believe her ears. She wanted to not believe any of it and just arrest the Malfoys and yet with both Dumbledore and Harry Potter supporting them it gave her pause. “I will need to review the evidence and I will have to put the Malfoys under house arrest until a trial. Even if everything you are saying is true, they still have to stand trial. It will give the public peace of mind that the Malfoys have not bought their way out of any crimes. The same will have to happen for Snape as well. An Unspeakable will verify that the memories are real before they are viewed,” Madame Bones stated.

“They can stay with me,” Harry offered. They all could stay at Grimmauld Place after the Fidelius Charm had been recast. Kreacher would be happy to have more people to take care of, especially a Pureblood family like the Malfoys. “I have a house given to me by Sirius, if you would like to cast the Fidelius Charm on it, Madame Bones, then you will know where they are at and it also gives you the opportunity to investigate Malfoy Manor.” Harry glanced at the Malfoys out of the corner of his eyes. They looked relived that they might not have to return to the Manor.

Madame Bones nodded in agreement. “What about Snape?” She asked. It was no secret to anyone with a young family member at Hogwarts that Snape loathed him and verbally attacked Harry during classes.

Harry gave Madame Bones a sad smile, “Professor Snape died during the Battle. I just want to clear his name.” As Harry finished, an otter Patronus flew through the door, Hermione’s excited voice bursting out. 

“Harry, he’s alive. Snape is alive!”


	2. A New Beginning

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone! Here is the next chapter of Little Black Cat! I apologize in advance for any grammatical errors.  
> I hope you all like the new chapter. Please let me know if something doesn't make sense or any constructive criticisms you might have. I would also love it if you want to let me know you liked the chapter!

Harry stared at the otter Patronus for a second. ‘He’s alive? Snape is alive?!’ He was dumbfounded. How could Snape have survived having his throat ripped out by Nagini? He dashed to the door, running down the stair heading for the Great Hall with the Malfoys, Kingsley, McGonagall and Madame Bones hot on his tail. 

Before exiting the room, Madame Bones turned to her Aurors. “Jones, take those memories to the Unspeakables, they will authenticate them. Thank Merlin You-Know-Who was never able to crack the Department of Mysteries. The rest of you will search the grounds and help with gathering the bodies and arresting any living Death Eaters.” With that she ran to catch up with the others.

Harry skidded to a stop in front of the entrance to the Great Hall, searching for his friends. “Harry!” Luna called when she saw him when she looked up from the man she was helping. Harry hurried over to her. “They took him up to the Hospital Wing, all critical patients are being treated there.” Harry grinned at her, gave her a quick hug and swiftly departed the Great Hall. The others had just caught up to him as he exited into the Entrance Hall.

“Where are you going, Potter?” Draco rasped, out of breath from trying to catch up. “Where is Severus?” He was worried about his godfather. The fact that Potter had believed him dead meant that he was not in good shape.

“They took him to the Hospital Wing, there is a short cut we can take, I just need to count the torches.” Harry said as he counted the torch brackets on the wall. He got to the eighth one from the entrance of the dungeons and pulled. The wall melted away to reveal a staircase leading up. “This way, we’ll come out across from the Hospital Wing.” 

They all hurried up the staircase, and arrived at the Hospital Wing. McGonagall looked at Harry with a disapproving glare. “You will tell me about all the hidden passages that you have found over the years, once we have time.” Harry winced under her gaze but nodded.

They all entered the Hospital Wing. Harry spotted Ron and Hermione on the other end and quickly walked over. They wrapped their arms around him when he became even with them. “We got to the Shrieking Shake and he was breathing! We hurried him as fast as we could after we hid him under your Invisibility Cloak. Madame Pomfrey is contacting a Healer at St. Mangos for some help.” Hermione babbled as she clung to the boys. She could hardly believe that they had made it out alive, she had to keep reassuring herself that they were there, alive and for the most part okay. “Madame Pomfrey placed Professor Snape in your bed.”

Harry nodded and slipped out of his friends’ grip. He quickly made his way over to the bed on the end furthest from the entrance door of the Hospital Wing. There was a white curtain hanging around it, blocking the bed from sight. Harry pulled it back and looked down at Snape. His normally pale skin lacked any color, making the blood-stained gauze wrapped around his neck stand out. Snape’s chest barely rose and fell, hitching at moment and breath stuttering at others. 

Harry jumped when he felt a delicate hand touch his shoulder. Whipping around, he saw Narcissa standing behind him. “Mr. Potter,” her voice softy yet strong, “how about we let Severus rest and allow Madame Pomfrey to do her job? There is much to be done and we will only get in the Healer’s way if we stay here.” She gently laid her hand on Harry’s arm, leading him back towards the rest of the group, where Madame Pomfrey was now standing.

“Harry, we need to get the Fidelius Charm set up as quickly as we can, Severus cannot stay here. As soon as the masses find out that he is here…” Madame Pomfrey trailed off. “The Healer that I have contacted to help Severus is a very good friend of mine who I trust with my life. She will be able to heal he and help him with any therapy needs he might need after recovery.”  
“Very well. Madame Bones, let’s go get the Fidelius set up. We can then get the Malfoys and Snape moved in,” Harry straightened, shaking off Narcissa’s hand. “Kreacher, would you please come here?”  
With a soft pop, Kreacher appeared in front of Harry. His tea towel was muddier than the last time Harry had saw him before the Battle but it looked like Kreacher was not the worse for wear. “What can Kreacher do for Master?” The old house elf croaked, staring up at Harry.

“Kreacher, are you able to take Madame Bones and myself to the house?”

“Kreacher can do that for Master.” Kreacher reached out and grabbed onto Harry’s pantleg and a section of Madame Bone’s robe. With a soft pop, the trio vanished from the Hospital Wing.  
Narcissa looked at Lucius after the trio disappeared. “We must have one of our house elves gather our things, and one of the Hogwarts elves get Severus’s possessions. Dragon, go get your things from your dorm and come back here as quickly as possible.” Draco nodded and headed towards the Hospital Wing doors.

“We’ll go with him,” Ron volunteered, Hermione nodding in agreement. The trio departed the Hospital Wing, glancing awkwardly at each other. Ron was trying to reconcile the years of school yard rivalry with the rather gaunt and greasy looking Draco Malfoy walking slightly ahead of him and Hermione. The two images did not line up at all. A thought occurred to Ron, one that Harry had suggested a couple times over the years. ‘Not all Slytherins are dark and evil, just like not all Gryffindors are pious and light. Everyone is their own person, judging someone by the crest on their chest makes you just as prodigious as they are.’ It was not until this moment that Ron really understood. Draco had been tortured and forced to many things that he probably did not agree with, while Ron had seen a couple former Gryffindors fighting zealously for Voldemort. In fact, when he thought about it, more Slytherins from the younger generations actually fought with the Light side then with Voldemort.   
“We’re here,” Draco breathed. He looked at the blank stretch of wall in apprehension. He wanted to just turn around and leave without any of his possessions, rather than enter his common room. While it had appeared to all the other houses that Slytherins were protected from the Carrows, it could not be further from the truth. They would sneak into the Slytherin dorms and attack the students and torture at random. It had not mattered if you had sworn fidelity to the Dark Lord or not, they attacked everyone. Snape did what her could to protect all the students but he could only do so much.  
Ron reached up and laid his hand on Draco’s shoulder, surprisingly supporting him. “Just a quick in and out. We don’t have to stay any longer than we need to.” He reminded Draco. Draco turned his head, his silver eyes staring deep into Ron’s cornflower blue eyes. What he saw was understanding and support, no ridicule or hatred. 

With a deep breath, Draco turned back to the wall. “The Dark Lord is our Lord,” he ground out. The wall melted away, allowing them entrance. Draco quickly hurried through the opening, barely glancing at the green tinged common room. They ascended a small staircase and entered the first door. The room had three beds, trunks sitting neatly at their foots, the side-tables all done in dark brown Wenge wood. Draco ran over to his rather lavish trunk, with a platinum Malfoy crest embossed on the lid. He yanked it open and rushed to his side-table. Yanking open drawers, he threw his belongs onto the bed. Finished with emptying the drawers, he shifted through the belongings on his bed, putting only the ones that he held dear into the trunk. The other items where just things used for school such as quills, though there were one or two wrapped boxes that he completely ignored. Closing the lid on his trunk he glanced at Hermione. “Can you shrink it down please? Potter still has my wand.”

Hermione nodded, flicking her wand at the trunk, causing it to shrink. “Let’s head back, hopefully Harry and Madame Bones will be back by the time we get to the Hospital Wing.” Hermione said as she walked back out of the dorm.

The trio quickly departed the dungeons, startled to see the damage the battle had caused now that they were actually paying attention. Walls were crumbling, whole sections of the staircases were missing, the doors to the Entrance Hall were laying on the floor. The wall had scorch marks from spell fire, there was blood spray on the walls and puddling on the floor. There were even what looked to be body part scattered in areas, though the trio tried not to look at the piles. With their minds no longer occupied by the need to move so quickly, the sounds of crying and moaning rung in their ears. Screams as family members stumbled upon a dead loved one, students clutching the lifeless forms of their friends, soot covered faces with tear tracks howling at the ceilings.

Ron pulled Harry’s Invisibility cloak out of his pocket and threw it over Draco as people started to notice him and Hermione. People started coming up to them, touching them, thanking them for their help and asking after Harry. They all wanted to know about Harry. Where was he? Would he help with the clean up? Why wasn’t he with them? Was he injured? Was he dead? Ron had to grit his teeth when people started asking if Harry was still single or if he would be marrying Ginny, after all she was so much like Lily, Harry had to marry her. Ron breathed a sigh of relief when the Aurors started ushering people away, having them help identify the bodies around them. “Merlin,” Ron murmured, “Does Harry deal with that all the time?” He wanted so desperately to take a shower in that moment, just to wash away the feeling of all those people touching him. How could he have been so jealous of Harry if this was the attention that he got from the masses on a regular day? They slowly picked their way back to the Hospital Wing, making sure that no one was following them. 

Upon entering they could see Harry standing there talking with Madame Bones and Professor McGonagall. Lucius and Narcissa were both standing by Snape’s bed talking with a woman in lime green robes, most likely the Healer from St. Mangos. Harry caught sight of Ron and Hermione and frowned. Where was Draco?

“We got mobbed in the Entrance Hall, we hid Draco under your Cloak,” Hermione said as Draco pulled the Cloak off and passed it to Harry. A small smile flitted across Harry’s face for a second, before folding the Cloak and putting it in his pocket.

“The charm is set. Madame Bones is the secret keeper, talk to her to be let into the house. She has also set up a ward to keep you, Draco and your parents, along with Snape inside our new residence. It’ll keep all of you on the property and will monitor the spells that are cast inside of it, matching them to each of our magical signatures. Madame Bones insisted on the ward to make sure that none of you attack me, I told her it was unnecessary but it was the only that I could keep you guys from being put into Ministry holding cells until the trials.” Harry explained as he brought them back over to the group.

“If she is so worried, why are we being allowed to do any magic at all?” Draco asked, curious. He could not understand why she would allow them access to magic if she thought they were going to attack Harry with it.

“It is rather simple, Mr. Malfoy. Mr. Potter insisted that you needed magic to help rebuild the property and from what I saw, I have to agree with him. However, I will be showing up at random to be checking on what spells are being used and certain spells will trigger the ward to alert me should they be cast.” Madame Bone stated as she stared Draco down. She was not completely happy with this arrangement, though a tiny part of her was happy that the Malfoys would not be staying in luxury. They would be spending their time cleaning up the rather disgusting and disturbing Grimmauld Place. When she had discussed the placement with Shacklebolt he told her that the Order had been able to do some clean up but it was still in vital need of not only some magical help, it also need a little elbow grease. After all, the Order had more important things to do with their time than clean up an old house. He had then told her to keep a close eye on everything before departing to help with the clean up a few minutes before Ron, Hermione and Draco had returned.

“Professor McGonagall, would you please call Winky for me?” Harry asked. “I know she is not happy working here and thought I would offer her the option to come work for me.”

“That sounds like a good idea, Harry. She would be much happier that way,” McGonagall nodded. “Winky.”

With a soft pop, Winky appeared, her tea towel toga torn and muddy, her eye alight with determination. “What does Headmistress need?”

“Winky, I have an offer for you. You are free to decline it if you want to, you won’t get in trouble if you do,” Harry expressed. “The manor that my friends and I are moving to is very old and very dirty. I already have Kreacher, however he is getting older and I don’t want to stress him by having him do so much by himself. Do you wish to bond with me?”

Winky stared at Harry in disbelief for a moment before she burst into joyous tears. “Harry Potter is too good, sir. Winky would love to bond with Harry Potter!” She ran to Harry and hugged his legs.  
Harry smiled down at her and gently placed a hand on top of her head. She let his legs go and he knelt down next to her, holding out his hand. “Winky, the house elf, do you swear to serve the Potter family until the day you no longer want to?”

“Winky swear to serve Potter family until the day Winky dies,” she states strongly, grabbing Harry’s hand. The combined hands start to glow. First a soft green color before slowly transitioning into a dark forest green.

“So, you swear it, so mote it be.” Harry closed. A snapping sound was heard and the glow disappeared. Winky happily bounced from foot to foot, awaiting her first order from her new master. “Winky, I would like for you are Kreacher to go pick out rooms for yourselves. Tell Kreacher that if wants to, he can have Regulus’s room for himself. Then after you have chosen, I would like for you to take this money,” Harry pulled some Galleons from the moleskin pouch around his neck, “and buy yourself some fabric to make some clothes for yourselves.” Winky looked perplexed. Harry gently patted her head. “It’s so that you and Kreacher will have an easier time cleaning the house and helping take care of everyone. I want you both to take care of yourselves, which means being clean, eating properly, being clothed and above all else, you two are not allowed to punish yourselves for any perceived failures. If you think you did something wrong come to me and we’ll figure it out, okay?”

Winky looked at Harry, her big eyes misting over once again. Dobby had been right. Master Harry Potter was the best Master to live. He cared about them! She squealed and popped away to Grimmauld Place to tell Kreacher the new rules.

Harry blinked and then shook his head before standing up. He unmistakably ignored Hermione’s glare and headed over to the Malfoys who all looked surprised yet not unhappy. “Let’s meet the Healer Madame Pomfrey has convinced to help Snape and head out,” Harry prodded as he moved past the Malfoys to the Healer.

The woman looked up from Snape to see Harry and the Malfoys approaching. She could not believe she would get to live with the Wizarding World’s Savor! She mentally slapped herself, she was going to take care of a patient not ogle the Savior. Besides from what Poppy had told her, Snape was a hero in his own right as well. “I’m Rosemary Greene. I’ll be taking care of Mr. Snape for the next couple months,” she said as she stuck her hand out.

Harry firmly shook her hand. “Healer Greene, do you really think it’ll take months for Professor Snape to recover?”

“It will only take a few weeks for him to recover to the point of not needing round-the-clock care, however he will need therapy, both physical and mental. I have a Healers’ certificate in both. I accepted this position knowing that I might not be able to move between my home and yours. I have no family members that won’t be placated with the occasional letter,” she stated.

Harry simply nodded and looked to Madame Bones. “It looks like we are ready whenever you are, Madame Bones.”

Madame Bones nodded, pulling out a tattered piece of cloth and walked over to Healer Greene, Snape, the Malfoys and Harry. They each grabbed on to a section of the cloth and laid a hand on Snape as well. Harry turned to look at Ron and Hermione before the portkey could activate. “I’ll see you guys around. I’ll stop by the Burrow when I can.” And with that the group vanished from the grounds of Hogwarts.


End file.
